Our worst performance: Mumbai City FC assistant coach, Oscar Bruzon

Mumbai City FC asst coach Bruzon slams team after 0-2 home defeat to Chennaiyin FC leaves them in 7th spot

John Stiven Mendoza scored a brace to inspire Chennaiyin FC to a 2-0 win over Mumbai City FC at the DY Patil Stadium in an Indian Super League-2 encounter yesterday.

Chennaiyin FC’s John Stiven Mendoza (left) tries to get past Mumbai City FC’s Pavel Cmovs during their Indian Super League match at the DY Patil Sports Stadium in Navi Mumbai yesterday. Pic/Suresh KK

Thanks to the win, the Marco Materazzi-coached side rose to third place in the standings, while Nicolas Anelka's men are still languishing in seventh with just a point from three games. Even more worrying for Mumbai is the fact that the team has scored just once in their three matches. While striker Sunil Chhetri, who missed the first two games due to national team commitments, was in the starting XI, marquee-player-cum-coach Nicolas Anelka surprisingly left himself out of the squad for the second time in two games after making a substitute appearance in the first match.

Yesterday, Mumbai missed Anelka’s presence as their forwards Chettri, Frederic Piquionne and Sony Norde created chances galore but couldn’t finish. Mumbai’s assistant coach, Oscar Bruzon tore into his team after the defeat. “We’re taking a lot of things very lightly. It’s our worst performance since pre-season. We’re not at the same level as previous games. We were ineffective in possession.”

When asked about Anelka’s absence, he said: “I never find excuses in players who can’t play. I prefer to find solutions in players we can field.”